What 142 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

Few days back got a message "voltage abnormality steering power low" a few times. Today, got a message saying the sensors indicated on the form are malfunctioning. Car is 2.5 yrs old with 23.5k miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11721390

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was swaying back and forth. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle became inoperable and failed to properly switch lanes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front and rear wheel alignment had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

NHTSA ODI 11720782

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated the front passenger’s side Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor failed to detect an occupant seated in the passenger’s seat and was deactivated on the instrument panel. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure; however, the vehicle had not been taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched and found information on NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V519000 (Air Bags) and associated the failure with the recall. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 57,500

NHTSA ODI 11717539

When pulling into a driveway, sudden acceleration while slowing down caused crash into side of the garage and damage to the right front fender, side panel and hood.

NHTSA ODI 11716165

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 11713402

My wife was going at about 10 - 15 mph coming up about 2 car lengths to a small curve in a residential area when all of a sudden she heard a pop or snap and the Rav4 went to a super high speed by itself. The acceleration could not be stopped even though she had her feet on the brakes. She had both hands on the steering wheel to avoid hitting a house and ended up going through a wall in the yard. There were no warning sounds and no signals indicating a problem. it appeared that the display was blank. There was no pre-collision warning or braking except as my wife was pushing on the brakes. She also hit the right side into side wall. No air bags deployed even though Windshield and all door glass on sides shattered. My wife the driver was okay and not hurt, and the grandchild in the car seat behind my wife was fine also. Neither had injuries. There were checked by emt. The police looked but all would not try to get in except to remove my granddaughter. My wife was removed also because she could not get out the door was jammed against shed and rock, and handles broken off This happened after the recall work was done by toyota dealer on 12/04/2025. There were no problems prior to the recall. I've listed the recall below. 25TD01 Rear Traction Motor Cable Corrosion - Multiple Model & Model Year Toyota Hybrid (AWD) Vehicles NHTSA Recall ID AWAITING# Recall Date Dealer Reference ID 25TD01 Description The subject vehicles are equipped with a rear motor unit and an HV Floor Under Wire that provide high voltage to operate the motor. Mud, water, or road salt could potentially enter the HV Floor Underwire connector housing and could cause corrosion over time. Excessive corrosion could cause AM Radio Static during certain driving cycles, or the vehicle may not start. Status Remedy Available Remedy Any authorized Toyota dealer will apply a wire harness protector seal to the HV Floor Under Wire Connector. Toyota corporate engagement is looking into this.

NHTSA ODI 11706225

While entering my garage (video available)The 2023 Hybrid Rav 4 accelerated on its own when I was braking to put it into reverse to back up to realign to park in my space. I was hitting the brake and the brake lights were on the dashboard while the car keep accelerating hitting the garage wall.

NHTSA ODI 11704375

I purchased my 2023 Toyota RAV4 new back on March 13,2023. 10 days later on March 23 it was raining as I pulled into BJ’s parking lot, I parked and began fumbling around getting my bag and keys together when my car started shaking and sputtering eventually shutting down with an error message engine stopped steering power low. After a call to the salesman I was able to get my car restarted after 15minutes and many failed attempts. Car was bought back to service the following week and I was told car was not properly programmed at delivery, it was now programmed correctly and this should not happen again. April 17,2023 my son pulling into Tractor supply , raining out, pulls into spot and car again shakes, sputters and shuts off, same message engine stopped steering power low. After many attempts car restarts approximately 20 minutes later. Car serviced codes ARE FOUND and cleared, road tested and told car was ok. May 31,2025 I was driving down Rt 80, pouring rain when traffic comes to a complete stop due to accident ahead. Car starts shaking, sputtering and shuts down. Same message code as always. I turned the car completely off as not to kill battery and started to goggle the RAV4. I attempted to restart the car numerous times. Called for a tow, prayed that I didn’t get killed once traffic started to move. Finally 1-1/2 hours later it started. Traffic began moving 15 minutes after I got it started. Took in for service, charged $199.61 only to be told there were no codes. Problem could not be duplicated and in the future to always disable the start/stop button while using the vehicle. October30, 2025 raining, I stopped at Panera drive thru. Placed an order waiting in line and car shuts down, same error code, couldn’t restart car for 20 minutes. Took to Toyota November 5th same response no codes and cannot replicate issue, car is ok. Please help rectify this before someone gets killed!

NHTSA ODI 11701720

Vehicle shows multiple safety systems malfunction and display warning messages. The vehicle displays repeated alerts including LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) Malfunction, Pre-Collision System Malfunction, RSA (Road Sign Assist) Malfunction, and Headlight System Malfunction. These warnings occur while the vehicle is in motion or parking and cause the safety features to shut off unexpectedly.

NHTSA ODI 11700928

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side blind spot warning system located on the exterior side mirror failed to function as intended. The light flashed on the side mirror; however, the beeping sound was inaudible. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred the same month the vehicle was purchased. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20.

NHTSA ODI 11699895

We discovered severe mold contamination and water intrusion in our 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. My wife, our [XXX] child, and I have been experiencing dizziness and nausea for months whenever we were inside the vehicle, but we did not know the cause until the dealer (DLL) showed us extensive mold throughout the cabin and standing water trapped inside the vehicle. The dealer confirmed that this was not normal wear and tear. The mold has spread into the floors, interior panels, and even the steering components. This is a serious health hazard. After doing research, we found many other RAV4 Hybrid owners reporting similar water leaks and mold growth issues. This raises the concern of a potential design or sealing defect in this model. This vehicle is unsafe to drive, especially with a young child. We are requesting a full safety investigation into the water intrusion, sealing integrity, and air quality risks associated with this model. Symptoms:     •    Dizziness     •    Nausea     •    Headache     •    Strong mold smell     •    Corrosion of interior components This is a serious safety and health issue, and we are asking NHTSA to investigate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11699395

While driving or idling, the pre-collusion, RSA malfunction, Headlight system malfunction, and LTA system malfunction will go off as well as my navigation on my screen. Its been going on and off for 7 months now. It works, then it doesn't. I don't want to take it in because I know they're famous for making me pay high dollar fees for anything and everything. Toyota is horrible for their services and just want the money. I never had any issues with my car until I got a nail in my tire that was an easy fix (that they also wanted to keep my car overnight for a patch).

NHTSA ODI 11698048

Faulty instrument panel keeps going on and off. It will reset itself and then do it again like it’s trying to fix itself. But then we’ll go on and off again it’s been doing it for about six months now we’ve been putting off by telling someone because we thought it might straighten up and when we keep looking up recalls, it says there’s no recall on it.

NHTSA ODI 11696044

Vehicle: 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Issue: Persistent brake noise, safety hazard, manufacturer negligence I leased a 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid from Clermont Toyota (Florida). Well before reaching 5,000 miles, the brakes began squealing and grinding, posing a potential safety hazard. Multiple service visits failed to correct the issue. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and its distributor, Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC, have long been aware of this defect, as documented in Technical Service Bulletin TSB-0001-22 and numerous NHTSA consumer reports describing similar brake failures and noises in 2019–2023 RAV4 models. Despite repeated notice, Toyota refused to repair or replace the defective vehicle and denied my Lemon Law claim through an arbitration panel connected to manufacturer counsel. This unresolved brake defect creates danger to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. Toyota’s continued sale and lease of vehicles with known braking issues constitute a serious public safety concern. I request that NHTSA investigate Toyota’s knowledge of these defects, evaluate the adequacy of its response, and consider a recall to protect consumers nationwide. Contact: [XXX] – [XXX] – [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11695950

I was in a very bad accident on [XXX]. I was side swiped from the front passenger side of the car. I was not at fault of the accident. My car then hit a fire hydrant and a pole. The airbags did not deploy and my head hit the steering wheel I own a 2023 RAV4 XLe premium. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11694907

When driving, I occasionally hear a sloshing sound. After inspecting the vehicle, I realized it was coming from the rear passenger door of the RAV4. After putting down large bowls to catch the water, I pulled up on the rubber weather strip at the bottom of the rear passenger door and water gushed out. I collected over 13 cups of water out of the door. This is not an isolated incident, as it has happened before. At first I thought it was debris/a fluke that caused this water to accumulate, but after reading forums, there are multiple people out there running into the same issue. It's only ever been the rear passenger door too; none of the other doors are holding water.

NHTSA ODI 11693810

The passenger rear tire experienced a catastrophic tread separation failure on the highway at speed limit speed. Since this was on the freeway, loss of control could have been experienced and caused a severe incident injury to drivers in the vicinity of the incident. The problem just happened and will be inspected by an authorized dealer. There were no warnings until the tire of the incident. These tires have been rotated according to schedule and have less than 21,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11692451

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the contact turned off the vehicle, and the vehicle rolled backwards while the gear shifter was in drive(D). A dealer or independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle responded properly because the gear shifter was not in park(P). The approximate failure mileage was 24,500.

NHTSA ODI 11691713

I purchased a new 2023 Toyota RAV4 in March 2023, which is covered by Toyota’s 36-month/36,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty. In August 2025, while the vehicle was still within warranty, a malfunction warning appeared for the pre-collision system and Road Sign Assist. The Toyota dealership diagnosed an internal failure of the forward recognition camera (DTC C1A95:00 — image processing module malfunction) and recommended replacement and calibration at a cost of approximately $2,300. Toyota denied warranty coverage despite the failure being internal to the part and occurring within the warranty period. I am seeking reimbursement for repair costs that should be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11688915

I was driving yesterday when we suddenly heard a pop on the roof. We pulled over and noticed that the sunroof was broken, with the glass sticking outward, as if something from the inside had exploded outward. The dealership would not take ownership of the damage, therefore i had to use my insurance. upon inspection I was told that it was pressure from inside the vehicle that caused it to explode and that they have seen it before in Toyota RAV 4 models

NHTSA ODI 11686293

While starting my rav4 prime, the instrument panel (gas gauge, speedometer, battery life, etc) went black. Took it to 3 different Toyota dealers; 2 sent me away and the 3rd said I can’t drive the car anymore. Service tech said it’s the 3rd one he’s seen with the instrument cluster black in the last year! They’re still running official diagnostics on it.

NHTSA ODI 11685598

For over month on multiple random events, the car shuts down while traveling at hwy speeds. The car light prompt to shift the vehicle into neutral and push the start button to re start the engine. We have had the car at the dealership 4 separate occasions and they can not find the issue because it does not cause an engine light to come on when this happens. They also supposedly can not get it to duplicate so they are refusing to go any further. We have video of this occurring at 50mph. This causes lost of steering and braking. We reported this to Toyota and opened a case. They to will not pursue fixing the issue as they are not getting a trouble code. I fear this is going to cause a major accident and this poses a severe safety risk as you loose control of the vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11683758

Rear passenger door drain is not clearing water and is building up in door frame. Have to pull back bottom of door trim to get the water to clear

NHTSA ODI 11675480

The vehicle's radio/ GPS navigation system shuts off and on and it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because while in the middle of driving on a one-way street the radio/ GPS navigation system shut off in the middle of my trip and I was unaware of if I was going down the correct street because the navigation system completely shut off. I had almost crashed into another vehicle because the radio/GPS navigation system cut off in the middle of my turn so I was unaware of where I was supposed to be driving at the moment. The vehicle has been inspected by Toyota but has not fixed yet. There were no warning lamps but the radio/GPS navigation system did shut off a few times prior to this incident but it never occurred in a situation where I was in a time where I needed the GPS and feared for my life and the lives of others.

NHTSA ODI 11675500

The issue is with the moonroof, which is part of the panoramic roof on the 2023 RAV4 hybrid driving down the freeway at highway speeds. The moon roof shattered. It sounded like a shotgun and it seemed to have broken and upward direction versus downward. There were no rocks from cars noticed in any vehicles in front of me to which could have caused this issue. If you’re looking at the photos all around the edge, there seems to be a seam on all four sides of the Glass giving away along with the hole protruding up.

NHTSA ODI 11674342